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Just a mere 10 days after Christmas, while you’re still loving that new tablet or drone you got, the Consumer Electronics Show begins (AKA CES 2017), and blows all that stuff out of the water with exciting announcements, new products and a glimpse at the future of technology. I will be there, with my best running shoes on (the show is hewge) taking it all in and bringing you guys the best of what I’ve seen in the worlds of personal tech, smart home devices, and more. I’ll also be speaking on a panel with none other than the Property Brothers— should be a good time, talking about consumers and smart home technology.

I’ll be honest, the last couple years of CES have left me a bit unenthused, but 2016 was an incredible year for technology, and I’m optimistic that there will be some exciting new developments this year by companies big and small. Of course, there are always a few surprises, but here are a few of the things I’m excited to see at CES 2017.

Smart Cars

Making our cars smarter is of critical importance, especially as drivers become more distracted behind the wheel. My son will be driving by this summer (HALP!) so i’m especially interested in how car companies are making things safer. I’ve had the pleasure of driving some new cars lately, like Volvo’s new XC90 Hybrid, and in addition to the impressive features like adaptive cruise control, blind spot sensors, and auto-braking technology, systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make it easier to stay connected without taking your eyes off the road.

Smart Bathrooms

Where better to increase efficiency and comfort than the place you get ready to start each day? The bathroom is ripe for innovation, and I anticipate that CES won’t disappoint. Smart mirrors that have TV screens or computers inside? Yes please. Toilets that have heated seats and dry your bum? Sign me up.

U by Moen shower perfects the recipe of luxury + customization by adding technology to personalize the shower experience. It’s a connected shower system that you control with a sleek-looking controller in the shower or remotely with an app on your smartphone. You can customize your experience and turn on the waterworks before you even crawl out of bed. The app connects to the shower controls by Wi-Fi, allowing you to program myriad settings that control not only one showerhead, but up to four shower fixtures (a girl can dream, no?), including hand showers, body sprays, and more.

Those concerned about water conservation will love the pause feature that warms the water, then pauses the flow until you’re ready to jump in. In addition to the smartphone app, the digital shower controller features a non-touch LED screen. You don’t have to step-in and get wet to turn things on, so no guessing temperatures as you fiddle with knobs, and it’s been designed to operate well even if your hands are wet or soapy.

Toys

I’m hoping for a glimpse at the new Nintendo Switch, which will be out this spring and whose impending arrival is a BIG deal in my house. It’s part home game console, part portable gaming device, which means you can start play on your TV at home, then take your game with you when you leave the house… which means it’s pretty much like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Other fun things I’m intrigued to peek at are Play-Doh’s Shape to Life Studio (which scans your play-doh creations into an iPad app then lets you animate them) and all kinds of new drones, Virtual Reality consoles like Google’s Daydream and HTC’s Vive, and (hopefully) lots of new ways to get kids excited about coding. Plus, with the popularity of Pokemon Go, I’m sure there will be a ton of Augmented Reality games on the floor.

Smart Home Systems

This is the year where Smart Home products will explode, thanks to major players like Amazon, Apple and Google all working hard to build their own ecosystems of connected devices… and make them more compelling than the next. Obvious components like locks, lightbulbs and thermostats will abound, but last year’s smart additions like Nucleus smart intercoms (now compatible with Amazon Alexa) and Jenn-Air’s Nest-compatible appliances (like an oven that will alert you if you’ve left the house while the oven’s on) are sure to have 2017 counterparts.

Phones

Phone are going waterpoof, but what about foldable, curved, or 4K? CES isn’t the place where a lot of big announcements are made in the smartphone category, but everything new will be there, and by the end of the show there’s likely to be one or two big reveals. Rumor has it that LG will be announcing an entire new lineup of phones (exciting!), and it’s entirely possible we’ll see a foldable phone by Samsung at the show. Oh, and now that the iPhone 7 has no more headphone jack to connect to, I’m expecting to see tons of wireless devices on the floor.

Stay In The Know

You can follow my Instagram Stories for pictures and videos from the CES 2017 floor, but for more comprehensive, up-to-the-minute coverage, I’ll be tuning into CNET, Digital Trends, and The Verge to make sure I don’t miss a thing.

Are you interested in the new products and announcements that come from CES 2017? Let me know what you’re excited about in the comments!

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Thanks for stopping by. I’m all about how to live well and find your center in a hyper-connected, wired world. You’re welcome to hang here anytime, or come find me at The Today Show, HGTV, or The Inspired Home.